OK so I just had to comment on this news story coming out of Spingfield, Virginia. Eric Williamson made coffee in his kitchen naked at 5.30am on Monday morning. No one was home (he shares the house with several work colleagues) so he just got up and had a cup of joe without getting a robe or getting dressed. But hey, it was his home afterall!
A woman had cut through his front lawn and was passing by the kitchen window at the time with a 7 year-old boy. She then called the police and Mr Williamson was arrested for indecent exposure. Meaning the police believe he wanted to be seen naked.
I'm not kidding. Do the authorities in Springfield, Virginia honestly have nothing better to do with their time than take a crazy woman's complaint seriously? Based on the details, it sounds like she cut through his yard!! And then noticed him naked at 5.30am and rather than turn her head or pick up the pace, she called the cops? Really?
How sad has America become in turning on our own neighbors who are just in their own home not disrupting anyone? It's like anything can set people off to complain, call the police or sue just to feel better about themselves.
Does anyone not realise it was 5.30am!!! What in the hell was that woman doing with a 7 year-old at 5.30 in the morning cutting through his yard anyways? Surely school doesn't start for an elementary student at 6am. Let the poor kid sleep! And if the guy really wanted to be seen naked, who would do it at 5.30 in the morning? It's not like that many people in the suburbs are out walking the streets at that time anyways.
I just can't get over how sensitive people have become. Especially in the states. Having moved away and lived in England for the past three years, I have finally noticed how much entitlement Americans feel they have. I know it's not like that for every American, but it's certainly something that is taught to us inadvertently when we are enlightened on the American dream.
Thankfully Mr Williamson is fighting the charge and may even seek damages caused by the Fairfax County Police. If he is found guilty he could spend up to a year in jail and face a maximum fine of $2,000.
In a response to the charge, Mr Williamson told Fox News, "I am a loving dad. Any of my friends and anyone knows that and there is not a chance on this planet I would ever, ever, ever do anything like that to a kid." He has a five year-old daughter.
Obviously I wasn't there and don't know if his side of the story truly happened, but based on him going public with the story, it sounds very credible that he was just making a cup of coffee. I'm hoping this case will be dropped and the woman who called the police will apologise. And hopefully she's learned a lesson as well, as this probably is harming Mr Williamson more than the 7 year-old's eyes.
Thursday 22 October 2009
Monday 19 October 2009
Deeply powerful film
I watched Hunger last night for the first time. In hindsight, it was probably not a Sunday night film. But then, I'm not sure what night of the week it would fit into.
Unfortunately I had no previous knowledge of the 1981 IRA prison hunger strike and have very little general knowledge of the plight in Northern Ireland during the time. So getting into the film was a bit difficult in that aspect.
Also, the film is more about art and cinematography than exciting script and history. With long shots and very little dialogue, it's extremely difficult to get into. However, if you make it past the 30 minute mark you should be proud of yourself and in for a real treat.
The film is heartbreaking and moving. It's difficult not to feel empathy for both the inmates and the prison guards - which is interesting as most story-lines will show the viewer a good guy and a bad guy. This movie is about human strength and belief, and the extreme situations people can be placed in and how they cope.
After the no-wash protest at Maze Prison has lasted for four years with no avail (the inmates want to wear civilian clothes rather than prison uniforms and end up naked with blankets) Bobby Sands leads the inmates in a hunger strike. The actor, Michael Fassbender, actually starved himself to portray the character in a real light. Now that's dedication.
The director of this film is the young British artist, Steve McQueen. He has done a beautiful, albeit slow, job with this film. It truly is art and he has a great eye for detail and poignant shots.
I would probably never get myself to watch this film again (the imagery can really burn into your brain) however I've now discovered a keen interest in the IRA in the 70s/80s and want to follow-up with a book about the subject. If a movie can do that for you, it's got to mean something good. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in film noire.
Unfortunately I had no previous knowledge of the 1981 IRA prison hunger strike and have very little general knowledge of the plight in Northern Ireland during the time. So getting into the film was a bit difficult in that aspect.
Also, the film is more about art and cinematography than exciting script and history. With long shots and very little dialogue, it's extremely difficult to get into. However, if you make it past the 30 minute mark you should be proud of yourself and in for a real treat.
The film is heartbreaking and moving. It's difficult not to feel empathy for both the inmates and the prison guards - which is interesting as most story-lines will show the viewer a good guy and a bad guy. This movie is about human strength and belief, and the extreme situations people can be placed in and how they cope.
After the no-wash protest at Maze Prison has lasted for four years with no avail (the inmates want to wear civilian clothes rather than prison uniforms and end up naked with blankets) Bobby Sands leads the inmates in a hunger strike. The actor, Michael Fassbender, actually starved himself to portray the character in a real light. Now that's dedication.
The director of this film is the young British artist, Steve McQueen. He has done a beautiful, albeit slow, job with this film. It truly is art and he has a great eye for detail and poignant shots.
I would probably never get myself to watch this film again (the imagery can really burn into your brain) however I've now discovered a keen interest in the IRA in the 70s/80s and want to follow-up with a book about the subject. If a movie can do that for you, it's got to mean something good. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in film noire.
Friday 18 September 2009
A delicious soup
The other night I made this cauliflower and cheddar soup from Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food recipe book. It turned out very delicious, which was exciting as it was my first time making it and there were a few hiccups along the way.
Turns out making soup for a serving size of 6-8 does not fit into one pot (when that pot is meant to hold a max of 7 litres). So I did my best to divide the chopped carrots, celery, shallots, and cauliflower (which I had already combined in a mixing bowl) into 2 ‘large’ pots. Apparently I need a bigger pot!
As I was heating the veg in the pots, the newer pot that’s supposedly non-stick ended up burning part of the vegetables on the bottom of the pan. And when I poured in the chicken broth it turned the colour of the soup in this particular pot a very dark amber. Not so much a Guinness colour, but maybe a dark beer colour. The other – cheaper- pot fared much better!
When it came to adding the Dijon mustard, cheese and then blending them, I realised I did not have a hand blender. But I had a full blender and poured one pot in at a time and it did the job stunningly!
The only issue was the blender was VERY full and I feared that it might start bubbling over. Thankfully, with my quick thinking, I held the top of the blender with a rag and kept it from spilling over. Although taking off the top was tricky as the soup was to the tipity top and did splash when it was cocked to one side to get a good grip to pull it off.
I cozied up on the couch with Fatty, after topping my soup with some recently cooked bacon bits and throwing together a quick baby spinach salad, and turned on the TV to the new season of Project Runway.
The soup was creamy and thick, and tasted of fresh vegetables. The cauliflower wasn’t overpowering, but was definitely a great compliment to the carrots and celery. Very filling as well, this was good since I was having it for my dinner! I’m not sure what the fat/calories were in this, but seeing as I made it from scratch and it included fresh veg and chicken stock, I imagine it was relatively healthy – despite the cheese.
I would highly recommend this soup as a starter, lunch or even a main any day!
Turns out making soup for a serving size of 6-8 does not fit into one pot (when that pot is meant to hold a max of 7 litres). So I did my best to divide the chopped carrots, celery, shallots, and cauliflower (which I had already combined in a mixing bowl) into 2 ‘large’ pots. Apparently I need a bigger pot!
As I was heating the veg in the pots, the newer pot that’s supposedly non-stick ended up burning part of the vegetables on the bottom of the pan. And when I poured in the chicken broth it turned the colour of the soup in this particular pot a very dark amber. Not so much a Guinness colour, but maybe a dark beer colour. The other – cheaper- pot fared much better!
When it came to adding the Dijon mustard, cheese and then blending them, I realised I did not have a hand blender. But I had a full blender and poured one pot in at a time and it did the job stunningly!
The only issue was the blender was VERY full and I feared that it might start bubbling over. Thankfully, with my quick thinking, I held the top of the blender with a rag and kept it from spilling over. Although taking off the top was tricky as the soup was to the tipity top and did splash when it was cocked to one side to get a good grip to pull it off.
I cozied up on the couch with Fatty, after topping my soup with some recently cooked bacon bits and throwing together a quick baby spinach salad, and turned on the TV to the new season of Project Runway.
The soup was creamy and thick, and tasted of fresh vegetables. The cauliflower wasn’t overpowering, but was definitely a great compliment to the carrots and celery. Very filling as well, this was good since I was having it for my dinner! I’m not sure what the fat/calories were in this, but seeing as I made it from scratch and it included fresh veg and chicken stock, I imagine it was relatively healthy – despite the cheese.
I would highly recommend this soup as a starter, lunch or even a main any day!
Wednesday 16 September 2009
The Twitter debate
The infamous Kanye incident at the VMA’s on Sunday now seems like old news. The fact that it’s still in the news (and that I’m writing about it) has got to be annoying to more people than just me, right?
But I just read on Boston.com that President Obama called Kanye West a ‘jackass’ during chatter before a CNBC and ABC interview in Wall Street on Monday, which was then reported on Twitter by three ABC journalists as they listened in.
The fact that this is even in the news, despite the face most can agree Kanye is a jackass, is because it brings up the debate between journalistic ethics and the new media such as Twitter. The digital age has speed up so quickly and has become all-encompassing; there are no rules for journalists to be governed by.
Twitter is perfect for this sort of information. It’s interesting, it needs no explanation, and it’s about someone everyone knows. The perfect tweet. And yet, it came from a professional journalist who should have known the President was speaking off the record…
I imagine that we’ll be seeing more and more of these as Twitter grows in popularity. Although many might see this as the end of journalism as we know it (no rules, no boundaries), this is the perfect opportunity to create new ethics. Journalism needs to expand and grow as Web 2.0 (3.0?) take over.
Who doesn’t want to hear Obama calling Kanye a jackass? Of course, this isn’t really news either. Journalists know the difference between off-the-record and on. And this should be no different for tweeting. Presidents, public officials, and businesses alike have for years felt protected behind the ‘off-the-record’ comments, and just because we have access to post a comment for all the world to read seconds later, this does not mean we as journalists should – or can for that matter.
The fact is ABC had to apologize to the White House and CNBC and the tweets were deleted from Twitter after about an hour of being posted. But the damage has been done and the debate will continue.
Tuesday 15 September 2009
Restless
The sky in London today looks like it's late November, not mid-September. It's very Dickensian; dark grey clouds, fog, rain, wind. Very depressing indeed.
It makes me think how quickly the 'summer' came and went. Actually, it seems like ages ago that I was planning the summer ahead with a number of trips home to the states and weekends of wine drinking and picnicking in the park. Now suddenly the staunch realisation that those lovely bright summer nights are long gone until 2010.
Soon it will be cold and dark by 5pm. 4pm. 3.30. Sigh... I have to get ahold of myself before I fall into a deep depression!!
But with this I've been trying to plan little trips that Mark and I can take to keep our spirits bright (of course, not by natural light I'm sure). I don't think it helps that I'm still unsure of my career's future past 30th September. So I need to plan further ahead. With visions of train trips up north, perhaps to Edinburgh? If it's going to be dark sooner, might as well take advantage of the evenings, right?! And in Scotland it will surely get dark quicker than London... so where can we enjoy a tipple and nibbles in a lovely city on a hill? That's my next investigative plan.
The objective is to stay positive with the turn of the seasons. It's all about the little things, isn't it? Like decking out the house in Halloween decorations or planning a Thanksgiving soiree. And since I won't be making it back to Boston for the holidays, I must prepare for a lovely English Christmas in Shropshire! And how will we celebrate New Years 2010? Magically, I'm sure.
The next months may be in the future now, but as sure as this rain will past it will fast approach. And I need to set my spirits high (although always prepare for a hard landing)! If nothing else, but to get through it all until the suns warmth grazes my skin again. :)
It makes me think how quickly the 'summer' came and went. Actually, it seems like ages ago that I was planning the summer ahead with a number of trips home to the states and weekends of wine drinking and picnicking in the park. Now suddenly the staunch realisation that those lovely bright summer nights are long gone until 2010.
Soon it will be cold and dark by 5pm. 4pm. 3.30. Sigh... I have to get ahold of myself before I fall into a deep depression!!
But with this I've been trying to plan little trips that Mark and I can take to keep our spirits bright (of course, not by natural light I'm sure). I don't think it helps that I'm still unsure of my career's future past 30th September. So I need to plan further ahead. With visions of train trips up north, perhaps to Edinburgh? If it's going to be dark sooner, might as well take advantage of the evenings, right?! And in Scotland it will surely get dark quicker than London... so where can we enjoy a tipple and nibbles in a lovely city on a hill? That's my next investigative plan.
The objective is to stay positive with the turn of the seasons. It's all about the little things, isn't it? Like decking out the house in Halloween decorations or planning a Thanksgiving soiree. And since I won't be making it back to Boston for the holidays, I must prepare for a lovely English Christmas in Shropshire! And how will we celebrate New Years 2010? Magically, I'm sure.
The next months may be in the future now, but as sure as this rain will past it will fast approach. And I need to set my spirits high (although always prepare for a hard landing)! If nothing else, but to get through it all until the suns warmth grazes my skin again. :)
Monday 15 June 2009
To barbecue or not to barbeque
For someone, like myself, who finds spelling and grammatical errors such a pet peeve, it’s shocking that until this weekend I only just noticed the difference in spellings of the word ‘barbeque’.
I have always been a speller of the word with the ‘que’. I’m not sure if it’s how we were taught to spell it at J.W. Killiam Elementary School or if I have picked it up along the way. I’m not sure if it’s just something I developed, seeing as the abbreviated word is BBQ or bar-b-q. It would seem only natural to add in the ‘q’.
Then I had to wonder if the reason why I noticed the spelling difference was because I was in England. Perhaps in English it’s spelled ‘barbecue’ and in American English it’s spelled ‘barbeque’. But after a bit of research in Google, Websters, and Oxford Dictionary, it seems to be a bit of a palava.
Where more often than not the dictionary will show the spelling of ‘barbecue’ and then in parentheses (barbeque common variant) – I’m not sure if this means there’s a correct spelling or not?
Then there’s the argument that the spelling of ‘barbeque’ would actually be phonetically spoken as ‘barbeck’ – like the word ‘discoteque’. This would surely rule out the spelling of barbeque. But unfortunately English is a funny one because where certainly words follow a rule, there are always the few that don’t (cow is not spoken like mow, but like row – in English anyways – but then in American English row is like mow and not like cow – how annoying!!).
But I may have to concede my spelling of barbeque as it seems it’s more often spelled with a c and not a q. The Guardian style guide only has the spelling of it with a c. Same with The Times/Sunday Times and Times Online style guide. And the AP Stylebook spells it as barbecue as well.
Seems I’m going to need to make the switch immediately! Although, it’s still OK to abbreviate to BBQ – and that is fine with me.
Thursday 16 April 2009
I have a sunburn in April
I’m on lunch, where I seem to always be whenever I blog. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing. I was meant to go to the gym, but I’ve got a meeting at 2 and wouldn’t have been able to work out and shower in time to be back. I could always NOT shower, but then, that just makes me gross, doesn’t it?
Last night we had a games night at our flat. It was only myself, Mark, Krystin and Alex, but it was a great time. We played Rumikub and then Boogle, which I forgot how much I enjoy! Although we have the Master Boogle version – meaning it flashes red constantly and could possibly give me an epileptic fit. Regardless, I still enjoyed it. I even found the word ‘chav’ in one of the turns (of course, the two Englishmen in the group didn’t, but Krystin did which cancelled that would-have-been-awesome point out!).
I’ll write a more detailed blog next time with pictures, but Mark and I went to his parents’ place in Shropshire for the Easter holiday break. We got the best weather in the whole of the UK – and I managed to even get a sunburn (in April? IN ENGLAND?!). I didn’t know that was possible… But we had a really great time, in short, drank a lot of wine, relaxed outdoors, had some hikes throughout the fields and hills, harassed a LOT of baby lambs, and ate a lot of great food.
Oh and last week I got an iPhone. This can either be perceived as ‘awesome’ or ‘I'm a sell-out’ to most people. However, I’ve been dying to get it since Apple first released it in the States in June 2007 (I was actually home in July so I made sure to go to an Apple store to play with it. Love at first sight.). I’ve named it iLoveIt. I think that’s appropriate. It’s also got me out of being lost twice now – which is impressive considering I’ve had it for a week now and 4 of those days I was out of service (not the phone’s fault, Shropshire’s fault). Or maybe that's not impressive and I have a poor sense of direction?
Anyways, I have to get back to work. I’ll be sure to upload pictures from Shropshire, if you’ve not seen them on Facebook yet.
Last night we had a games night at our flat. It was only myself, Mark, Krystin and Alex, but it was a great time. We played Rumikub and then Boogle, which I forgot how much I enjoy! Although we have the Master Boogle version – meaning it flashes red constantly and could possibly give me an epileptic fit. Regardless, I still enjoyed it. I even found the word ‘chav’ in one of the turns (of course, the two Englishmen in the group didn’t, but Krystin did which cancelled that would-have-been-awesome point out!).
I’ll write a more detailed blog next time with pictures, but Mark and I went to his parents’ place in Shropshire for the Easter holiday break. We got the best weather in the whole of the UK – and I managed to even get a sunburn (in April? IN ENGLAND?!). I didn’t know that was possible… But we had a really great time, in short, drank a lot of wine, relaxed outdoors, had some hikes throughout the fields and hills, harassed a LOT of baby lambs, and ate a lot of great food.
Oh and last week I got an iPhone. This can either be perceived as ‘awesome’ or ‘I'm a sell-out’ to most people. However, I’ve been dying to get it since Apple first released it in the States in June 2007 (I was actually home in July so I made sure to go to an Apple store to play with it. Love at first sight.). I’ve named it iLoveIt. I think that’s appropriate. It’s also got me out of being lost twice now – which is impressive considering I’ve had it for a week now and 4 of those days I was out of service (not the phone’s fault, Shropshire’s fault). Or maybe that's not impressive and I have a poor sense of direction?
Anyways, I have to get back to work. I’ll be sure to upload pictures from Shropshire, if you’ve not seen them on Facebook yet.
Monday 6 April 2009
The ideal location
The weather has been ideal for the past few weeks. Which means that since the Easter holiday break starts at 5.30pm on Thursday – rain is forecasted for the next four days in a row, including Thursday and Friday. Typical Murphy’s Law. Or as Will calls it in About a Boy by Nick Hornby, Sods Law. At least for the time being it’s still nice out and Krystin and I may even get in a cheeky barbeque before it all goes south.
Yesterday I spent a fantastic day in Highgate, North London. It’s technically called ‘Highgate Village’ – which suits the area well. For an area located in London, it honestly felt just like a village. It was such a surprise! And of course I’ve added it to Mark and my (ever growing) list of possible locations we will want to move to. Which of course means I’ve now already gone through a number of pages in Primelocation to check out how far the pound can go there.
We’ve come up with a list of necessities for our future property, where the majority of them need to be ticked in order for us to say ‘yes, we’ll take it!’. It must have:
• Storage space for all of our luggage and things we don’t want out in the open
• A large double bedroom or a double bedroom with a single bedroom which we can use as storage/study room. We’ve got a lot of stuff between us!
• A kitchen big enough for Mark to make a mess of while I clean up as he cooks (Monica Gellar style)
• A shower with appropriate water pressure
• Ground floor would be ideal, light and airy
• Possible garden access – if not, then a nearby park
• Safe area so I don’t worry about coming home at night
• Close enough to local transport and food shopping
We’ll see how we do. Sadly we can’t start looking until Jun/July, since we’re probably not going to start the lease in Aug.
Yesterday I spent a fantastic day in Highgate, North London. It’s technically called ‘Highgate Village’ – which suits the area well. For an area located in London, it honestly felt just like a village. It was such a surprise! And of course I’ve added it to Mark and my (ever growing) list of possible locations we will want to move to. Which of course means I’ve now already gone through a number of pages in Primelocation to check out how far the pound can go there.
We’ve come up with a list of necessities for our future property, where the majority of them need to be ticked in order for us to say ‘yes, we’ll take it!’. It must have:
• Storage space for all of our luggage and things we don’t want out in the open
• A large double bedroom or a double bedroom with a single bedroom which we can use as storage/study room. We’ve got a lot of stuff between us!
• A kitchen big enough for Mark to make a mess of while I clean up as he cooks (Monica Gellar style)
• A shower with appropriate water pressure
• Ground floor would be ideal, light and airy
• Possible garden access – if not, then a nearby park
• Safe area so I don’t worry about coming home at night
• Close enough to local transport and food shopping
We’ll see how we do. Sadly we can’t start looking until Jun/July, since we’re probably not going to start the lease in Aug.
Thursday 2 April 2009
It's a sunny day in L-Town, despite the anarchy!
I just had a great lunch. The food wasn’t the part that was great. It was the news! I ran into the canteen, like most days here at News Int, and I grabbed a cup of soup (26p) and a portion of chips (57p) – I normally stay away from the chips but I had a craving and couldn’t help myself – and scanned the room to see where I could sit. Andy (my line manager) was seated at a small table on his own so I pulled up a seat.
Most would think sitting with their manager during lunch isn’t the best way to go, however Andy is really easy going and great to chat to. Plus, I’ve been so busy with other work with the team this week we haven’t had a proper catch-up, so it was a good opportunity to hear how I was doing. (Being ‘in limbo’ – his words – is stressful at times, so it’s good to know!) Thankfully, he gave me good news! It doesn’t seem likely that come the end of my ‘temporary’ period (30 Jun) I’ll be gone from News Int. Even if I am not hired on full time (due to the budget, not my performance) he’s going to come up with a way to keep me around.
Well thank God for that!
Other work related news – I’m at News Int for the whole of April. No Blackbridge at all, which gives me the opportunity to fully invest myself with work here. Never a bad thing, especially when things are so busy.
It’s the G20 Summit here in London (it started yesterday) and things were meant to really kick off yesterday. We were told to dress down yesterday and today so as not to ‘stand out’ and avoid briefcases (not that I own one) in case they might make us any more of a target. I’m not sure if it’s the fact I’m too far south east from the City (it’s probably two miles away at the most) but I didn’t see any disruption other than the helicopters hovering overhead. Although, it was cool knowing Obama was within miles of me. He may be my president, but he’s also a superstar! Although the chances of me passing by his cavalcade are slim! I can still hope…
Oh and other news, Mark, Kerry and I are going to the Reading Festival on 28 Aug! Ages away, I know, but the line up is getting me excited, mainly for the fact I’m going to see Kings of Leon finally!
Most would think sitting with their manager during lunch isn’t the best way to go, however Andy is really easy going and great to chat to. Plus, I’ve been so busy with other work with the team this week we haven’t had a proper catch-up, so it was a good opportunity to hear how I was doing. (Being ‘in limbo’ – his words – is stressful at times, so it’s good to know!) Thankfully, he gave me good news! It doesn’t seem likely that come the end of my ‘temporary’ period (30 Jun) I’ll be gone from News Int. Even if I am not hired on full time (due to the budget, not my performance) he’s going to come up with a way to keep me around.
Well thank God for that!
Other work related news – I’m at News Int for the whole of April. No Blackbridge at all, which gives me the opportunity to fully invest myself with work here. Never a bad thing, especially when things are so busy.
It’s the G20 Summit here in London (it started yesterday) and things were meant to really kick off yesterday. We were told to dress down yesterday and today so as not to ‘stand out’ and avoid briefcases (not that I own one) in case they might make us any more of a target. I’m not sure if it’s the fact I’m too far south east from the City (it’s probably two miles away at the most) but I didn’t see any disruption other than the helicopters hovering overhead. Although, it was cool knowing Obama was within miles of me. He may be my president, but he’s also a superstar! Although the chances of me passing by his cavalcade are slim! I can still hope…
Oh and other news, Mark, Kerry and I are going to the Reading Festival on 28 Aug! Ages away, I know, but the line up is getting me excited, mainly for the fact I’m going to see Kings of Leon finally!
Friday 27 March 2009
Chilli & alcohol deprivation over!
My bout with laryngitis is finally over! For those of you who have put up with my miserable self for the past two weeks, my apologies. And for anyone who may have caught my laryngitis while I was believing it was just a bad cold, I am terribly sorry but please get yourself on antibiotics asap.
After a long, boring, and generally miserable few weeks, this weekend is the shining light at the end of my dark tunnel. Tonight I’m going to indulge myself in the first glass of alcohol since St. Patrick’s Day (which, btw, was a terrible idea). I will be having Mexican at Mexicali in Notting Hill with Krystin and Lizza, and will enjoy a large glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Maybe even two. Bring on the spices; this weekend is all about indulgence! Since last week, I was instructed to keep away from anything with a kick, alcohol, Diet Coke (although that deterrence waived by Monday) and anything fizzy, milk and orange juice.
I’m just going to go all out! For lunch I’ve had a curry, dinner is Mexican, and tomorrow is Thai. I’ve been deprived of chilli for far too long (in my life, a week is FAR too long). That and alcohol, clearly. I am thinking I may have a mid-afternoon pub trip with Mark tomorrow after we hit up the Darwin exhibit at the Natural History Museum. That’s not bad, right?
After a long, boring, and generally miserable few weeks, this weekend is the shining light at the end of my dark tunnel. Tonight I’m going to indulge myself in the first glass of alcohol since St. Patrick’s Day (which, btw, was a terrible idea). I will be having Mexican at Mexicali in Notting Hill with Krystin and Lizza, and will enjoy a large glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Maybe even two. Bring on the spices; this weekend is all about indulgence! Since last week, I was instructed to keep away from anything with a kick, alcohol, Diet Coke (although that deterrence waived by Monday) and anything fizzy, milk and orange juice.
I’m just going to go all out! For lunch I’ve had a curry, dinner is Mexican, and tomorrow is Thai. I’ve been deprived of chilli for far too long (in my life, a week is FAR too long). That and alcohol, clearly. I am thinking I may have a mid-afternoon pub trip with Mark tomorrow after we hit up the Darwin exhibit at the Natural History Museum. That’s not bad, right?
Monday 16 March 2009
Waiting for the NyQuil to kick in
So last week I had a cold which has turned into a dreadful cough. I'm afraid I may have bronchitis again, which is neither exciting nor convenient. See, I haven't signed up with my local GP, so I'd still have to go to the one near Maida Vale. Then there's the fact I'll have to take time out of my work schedule this week to make the trek there. The other annoyance is they don't take a chest x-ray, which I find very unconvincing that they have the right to give me antibiotics (but I'll willingly take them).
Anyways, the worst is at night because laying down flat is just out of the question. I won't sleep at all. So instead I have to lie with three pillows keeping me upright - not entirely the most comfortable way to sleep. And then I keep having these horrible dreams, it's as though the cough is infecting my dreams and turning them into nightmares. One after the other, I'm thankfully awaken by the coughing about every few hours. I wouldn't normally be too thrilled about this but the dreams have been so vivid. For instance, I've been trapped in an underground town that was very surreal and not in a cool, sci-fi channel sort of way. And been kidnapped by the Taleban and had to stressfully find a way out of an apartment complex through neighbors' rooms and vent ducts and abandoned bedrooms. It's just getting too weird.
And tonight I've taken NyQuil in hopes of being able to sleep at least four hours through. I'm sure the dreams will only get stranger. But I'm willing to accept these tonight if I can only get a decent amount of sleep. Anyways, tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day and I plan on wearing green, drinking beer, and dancing with a Leprechaun (but I'm sure the NyQuil will sort that part out tonight).
Anyways, the worst is at night because laying down flat is just out of the question. I won't sleep at all. So instead I have to lie with three pillows keeping me upright - not entirely the most comfortable way to sleep. And then I keep having these horrible dreams, it's as though the cough is infecting my dreams and turning them into nightmares. One after the other, I'm thankfully awaken by the coughing about every few hours. I wouldn't normally be too thrilled about this but the dreams have been so vivid. For instance, I've been trapped in an underground town that was very surreal and not in a cool, sci-fi channel sort of way. And been kidnapped by the Taleban and had to stressfully find a way out of an apartment complex through neighbors' rooms and vent ducts and abandoned bedrooms. It's just getting too weird.
And tonight I've taken NyQuil in hopes of being able to sleep at least four hours through. I'm sure the dreams will only get stranger. But I'm willing to accept these tonight if I can only get a decent amount of sleep. Anyways, tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day and I plan on wearing green, drinking beer, and dancing with a Leprechaun (but I'm sure the NyQuil will sort that part out tonight).
Thursday 12 March 2009
Update
This may not be the most exciting post ever, but I thought I'd give some updates to help those who I can't speak to on a regular basis.
1. I got my new Visa a few days ago, which is quite exciting because I paid the £400 for it out of pocket.
2. I'm going to Paris with Mark for our one year anniversary on 8-11 May. We're staying at the Hilton across the street from the Arche de Triumphe - I could not be more excited!
3. I was laid off (or made redundant as it's said in England) at the end of Jan, and as of March I'm now freelancing two days a week at Blackbridge and 3 days a week as the Trade Marketing Assistant at News International. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions, but I'm hoping this is a new experience that can broaden my horizons!
4. I'm planning on flying with Mark to Boston on the 2nd July until the 20th of July. It's going to be our summer holiday, so we won't necessarily be around the entire time (we have tentative plans to travel to NYC, the Cape and Martha's Vineyard, and possibly Bar Harbor). And of course I'm going to be in my best friend Stefanie's wedding on the 18th July! But if you want to see me or want to even join us for anything, let me know! I want to obviously see everyone, so hopefully we can start planning away to get me even more excited.
5. The biggest life changing news I have is Mark and I are planning on moving in together in August. Huge, I know. Or maybe it just seems huge to me? Irregardless, I've never lived with a boyfriend before and he's never lived with a girlfriend, so we are virgins in this arena!! Obviously I'm a bit nervous but I'm really excited about the situation. Where will we end up is the biggest question? North or south of the river?! Dun dun dunnnnn.
That's it for now, back to the daily grind at News Int.
1. I got my new Visa a few days ago, which is quite exciting because I paid the £400 for it out of pocket.
2. I'm going to Paris with Mark for our one year anniversary on 8-11 May. We're staying at the Hilton across the street from the Arche de Triumphe - I could not be more excited!
3. I was laid off (or made redundant as it's said in England) at the end of Jan, and as of March I'm now freelancing two days a week at Blackbridge and 3 days a week as the Trade Marketing Assistant at News International. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions, but I'm hoping this is a new experience that can broaden my horizons!
4. I'm planning on flying with Mark to Boston on the 2nd July until the 20th of July. It's going to be our summer holiday, so we won't necessarily be around the entire time (we have tentative plans to travel to NYC, the Cape and Martha's Vineyard, and possibly Bar Harbor). And of course I'm going to be in my best friend Stefanie's wedding on the 18th July! But if you want to see me or want to even join us for anything, let me know! I want to obviously see everyone, so hopefully we can start planning away to get me even more excited.
5. The biggest life changing news I have is Mark and I are planning on moving in together in August. Huge, I know. Or maybe it just seems huge to me? Irregardless, I've never lived with a boyfriend before and he's never lived with a girlfriend, so we are virgins in this arena!! Obviously I'm a bit nervous but I'm really excited about the situation. Where will we end up is the biggest question? North or south of the river?! Dun dun dunnnnn.
That's it for now, back to the daily grind at News Int.
Tuesday 10 March 2009
How many hours of TV can a human consume?
I swear I haven't watched this much television consecutively since I was a student. I've finally been hit by the bug that seems to be going around and it's hit me hard. It's more the fact my body feels like it's been beaten up then the annoying runny nose and scratchy throat. I loathe being sick.
I think I've slept more than I've been awake in the past two days. Not terrible, but the fact my mattress is a piece of crap doesn't help my back and neck any. And then there was the 2 hours this morning of a dog wailing (because the term barking doesn't do it justice) in where I envisioned actually killing it. And I'm a dog person. At least the baby next door wasn't crying as well. I think that would have set me off.
Here's what I have to motivate myself for:
1) Watching Mad Men episodes 8-13
2) Eating American imported cream of wheat
3) Taking a shower finally
4) Haribo
This might seem sad, but please remember I'm ill. And trying to stay sane!
I think I've slept more than I've been awake in the past two days. Not terrible, but the fact my mattress is a piece of crap doesn't help my back and neck any. And then there was the 2 hours this morning of a dog wailing (because the term barking doesn't do it justice) in where I envisioned actually killing it. And I'm a dog person. At least the baby next door wasn't crying as well. I think that would have set me off.
Here's what I have to motivate myself for:
1) Watching Mad Men episodes 8-13
2) Eating American imported cream of wheat
3) Taking a shower finally
4) Haribo
This might seem sad, but please remember I'm ill. And trying to stay sane!
Sunday 8 March 2009
It's been a while
Oh dear. I've missed an entire year of writing, and that's extremely disappointing. New thing to take care of - writing often and about things that matter.
Life at the moment consists of: freelancing at Blackbridge (2 days a week) and News International (3 days a week); running/working out; seeing Mark as much as possible; reading The Time Travellers Wife; cooking at least one nice meal a week (or making Mark cook it!); keeping up with friends.
I don't think I ever realised how exhausting life could be in the city, but it really is. At the same time, I love the fact I can see so much whenever (well, aside from while I'm working or doing the other 90 things I'm doing) I want. For instance, above is the view of what I walk by every morning I'm going to News International: Katharine's Docks. Where else could I see Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the beautiful yachts and sailboats? Amazing. Albeit, it is a trek every morning:
6.45am: Alarm goes off - or rather my iPod dock goes off to something like Snow Patrol or John Mayer.
7.45am: Run out the door, probably still needing to do 20 things but having to deal with the fact it will have to wait another 12 hours.
7.59am: Get on the West Hampstead Thameslink which will take me to Moorgate in approximately 20 mins. Will get a seat because the tube and standing is over-rated...
8.20am: Run across to platform 1 to get a Circle line train to Tower Hill. I hate the underground.
8.37am: Start walking from Tower Hill Underground to Wapping, where News International is located. Will walk by the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Katharine's Docks, and a lovely Waitrose which tempts me every time. I am power walking, and will attempt to pass at least 5 people in the limited space in the walking path.
8.50am: Touch my card into the gates of Times House and make my way past Costa (do NOT spend money on a coffee, my dear, it's a recession) and take the lift to the 4th floor.
8.51am: Start up my PC from 1997 and start reading today's Times. Never The Sun, I'm sorry to say. Usually will have vanilla yogurt with berry muesli mixed in. Mmm, a perfect start to another work day.
9.01am: The ancient PC is finally running and Outlook has either appeared on my screen with 17 messages in place, or Outlook has crashed my computer once again and a restart is necessary... One can never tell!
With that little rendition, this post is done for now. I promise to not wait another year. That just won't be fair on my Masters degree, now would it?!
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